Operation Red Herring (Countryhumans Alternate History)

Chapter 37

TW: Implied/Referenced Homophobia, Briefly Implied/Referenced Racism

It was quiet.

Now that everyone was gone, Japan could hear everything. The old house they used as a base creaked and groaned whenever the wind blew, the floorboards squeaked whenever someone walked on them, and most of the door hinges made a wretched screeching sound whenever doors were opened. The walls seemed grayer, their paper peeling slightly, and the windows seemed to dim the little natural light that was allowed into the building. It was so... dead. But it had always been that way. Third Reich used to lament endlessly about the drab and borderline decrepit state of the base when she had first moved in after entering the alliance. Perhaps Japan just never noticed it before, or perhaps the inhabitants had given it life. But now it was just her, and the world around her seemed empty.

She still had Third Reich, of course, but he was always in his office or out. Always planning, always plotting, never including her in it. It was infuriating to be isolated in such a way, and she was even more upset with herself for feeling lonely in the first place. Afterall, she had isolated herself for centuries and been completely fine. Then again, during that stretch of time she had her people and culture to immerse herself in.

Her people.

Japan had never been particularly sentimental, but a part of her, the part of her that was always foolishly flooded by emotion, desperately wanted to go back to them. Attachment to one's people was practically ingrained in countries, afterall. They were a part of themselves, the reason they existed in the first place. She hadn't been back to her home island since the whole heist with Britain stealing her planes had happened. Even then, it had been strictly business. She hadn't been able to walk out in the streets, to see or speak to anyone. No, the last time she had truly been immersed in her people was over three years ago. Japan missed it dearly. She missed the sound of her language floating through the air like birdsong, missed the smells of food that always wafted out of the street markets, missed the colors and buildings and everything in them. She wished she could go back, but instead she was stuck in Germany, in a room with drab walls and a book she had reread at least three times, alone.

Alone.

Japan used to miss being alone. Back when she had first opened herself back up to the world, she had missed it desperately. Other countries were always irritating, and she much rather be on her own than taint her tongue with their foreign languages. Anything besides her people's beautiful dialect tasted foul to speak, with English tasting distinctly of tin, with its rigid words and rusty sounds. It used to cut her mouth whenever she had to use it, self-consciousness tearing through her lips as she became aware of her strong accent. Japan would never admit to it, but overcoming the embarrassment of her own voice was one of the hardest personal things she's had to deal with in the past century.

"Here, I'll play into it so you can tell." America took a breath, and in the most obnoxious Southern American accent Japan's ever heard, said, "Howdy there, Pardner. How'dya like a glass of wahter? 'nd some caorn?"

Japan barely stifled a laugh, "You sound ridiculous."

"Exactly." The younger said with a hum. "English sounds weird no matter who's speakin' it."

"So you are agreeing that I sound odd?"

"No, I'm saying that everyone sounds weird to everyone. Everyone sounds strange, and therefore no one really is." She continued, "You know how much sh*t Britain gives me about my accent? The man says something about it any time we speak, and I make fun of him all the time for his."

"Everyone mocks everyone then?" Japan thought for a moment, "So it isn't targeted?"

America seemed to hesitate for a moment, before speaking. "Usually it isn't. Especially from the Europeans who have been around for a real long time. They just act like that towards anything different. Trust me, if I see anyone do anything mean, I'll do somethin'."